Five Reasons Agent Coulson Is The Most Invaluable Avenger

Spoilers ahead for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D season one. 

Phil Coulson has been a busy man. Not only has he gone from being an unassuming S.H.I.E.L.D official to an indespensible agent with his own show, he’s also, over the years, become one of the MCU’s favourite characters. He is the glue that holds the Avengers together and yet his position amongst them is so humble that people don’t tend to include him amongst the superhero vanguard of Gods and Hulks that he helped put together. The Son of Coul is arguably the most invaluable member of the team, certainly a hero in his own right. And here are a few reasons why he should be your favourite too.

He’s Fury’s Most Trusted Agent

He’s found Mjolnir, he’s babysat Stark and he’s been a part of just about every major S.H.I.E.L.D mission we’ve seen. He’s Fury’s self-confessed “one good eye”. Where other Avengers could be distracted from missions by their own problems or indeed their own narcissism, Coulson is thoroughly committed to upholding the values that S.H.I.E.L.D was founded on. For that reason, it is a logical decision that Fury makes in appointing Coulson the Director in the finale of AoS season one.

Fury and Coulson, his “one good eye”, in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

He’s A Bit Of All Of Them

Cap’s honour, Stark’s wit, Romanoff and Barton’s values, Thor’s worthiness and Banner’s humility – Coulson is all of the Avengers in one man-sized bundle. That, and the fact he can kick some serious arse (as first witnessed in the one-shot A Funny Thing That Happened On The Way To Thor’s Hammer). The reason he gets one with all of them is because he is all of them.

He’s A Worthy Leader

In AoS, he’s in charge of his own team, all of whom have different specialities and personal drives, Coulson creates not just a group of hardcore agents but a family. He knows how to get people working together, and he’s not afraid to take risks to prove people to themselves. Of course, this has its downsides and he has put his team in danger (see T.R.A.C.K.S for example) but at the end of the day no one would think twice about heading into dangerous territory to keep him by their side.

His ‘Death’ Was The Driving Force Behind Victory In New York

After Loki spears him through the heart, the rest of the Avengers are united in their grief. So much so that they are motivated to crush an entire alien invasion that same afternoon. If it had been anyone else, Barton say, or Maria Hill…it would’ve been sad. But for some reason Coulson’s death was the one that hurt the most. Perhaps because he’s connected to each of them in some way, and without him, none of them would be a part of that team. Albeit temporary, his death was the catalyst Cap and co. needed to unite and protect the Earth. And Coulson knew it.

He’s A True Avenger

He is an Avenger. Fury says it himself. Coulson is the best of them – a leader and mentor (and friend) they’d be lost without. He doesn’t need a suit of iron or God-like powers to bring the villains to their knees, just a business suit and occasionally a massive gun. With his killer lines and unflappable demeanor, he’s the one we can connect to the most, and that’s why we love him the best.

Here’s hoping he makes his return in Age of Ultron, out next May.

What’s Happened To Doctor Who?

First off, I just want to point out that I do like Doctor Who. I think Peter Capaldi is fantastic as Twelve (honestly, he’s doing a cracking job with what he’s being given) and the past few seasons have featured some great stories (“Listen”, “The Doctor’s Wife”, “The God Complex” and “Forest of the Dead” are a few of my favourites). I still get a buzz of excitement before a new episode in the same way that I did at the midpoint of David Tennant’s era, when my obsession with the show was at its peak. The problem is that I just don’t love it anymore, not like I used to. And I’m not alone.

Saturday night television on BBC One is, generally, a mixed bag when it comes to its flagship family programming. To use a rating system devised by friends, its output ranges from The Musketeers (“meh”) past Robin Hood (“cheesy but fun”) up to Doctor Who (“unmissable, absolute silence necessary”) via Merlin (“like Doctor Who you can talk through”). Each show has the same formula: twelve or thirteen episodes, a hero/heroes you can root for, easy to follow and often predictable plots and erm… almost exclusively white male leads. The problem with Doctor Who now is that it’s stopped ticking those boxes.

Apart from the white male lead, of course.

Last Saturday’s episode, “Kill the Moon”, aired at 8:30pm and finished at 9:15pm. Granted, some of its scenes were reminiscent of Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, but for a programme that has children as its core demographic, this broadcast time seems ill thought-out. The Beeb’s ongoing tustle with ITV over Saturday evenings threatens to lose them viewers if they continue to follow Strictly Come Dancing with Doctor Who and not the other way around.

That’s far from the main problem however, which is that the show just isn’t fun anymore. Steven Moffat can protest all he wants that the show is as comprehensible as it was when Russell T Davies was in charge, but it’s falling on deaf ears. I stopped trying to keep up with the timey-wimey complexity of his scripts after “The Wedding of River Song”. Now we’re over halfway through Twelve’s first series and we still have no idea if we’re supposed to like him or not (neither does he), we don’t have a clue what Danny Pink has to do with all of this other than to provide Clara with another male saviour, and Michelle Gomez’s Missy is more frustrating than intriguing; popping up at the end of odd episodes and smirking some guff about ‘the promised land’. It’s just not what it used to be.

Instead of encouraging viewers of all ages to come along on an adventure, Doctor Who now challenges fans to engage in an unwinnable intellectual competition, where we’re expected to follow multiple convoluted plots with scraps of vague information drip-fed at the end of random episodes. To whom do I send my apologies for not wanting to play along? The comedy that made Catherine Tate’s era in the Tardis successful has all but been written out in favour of glum stories and a Doctor who prefers to make snide comments about companion Clara’s appearance over inspiring speeches penned to make us humans feel special. Gone is the warming relationship between the Time Lord and his everyday companion; we now have a cold and distant alien and a sidekick none of us can relate to. Which leads me onto the next issue.

Poor Jenna Coleman. Having been trounced by Billie Piper’s beloved Rose Tyler in a recent Radio Times poll of our favourite companions, and with a character arc that must be as baffling to her as it is to us (most episodes find her staring wide-eyed at things and asking what’s going on), she has every right to feel cheated. The companion’s role is to connect the audience to the Doctor, but Clara’s storyline is even more confusing than Twelve’s. It just isn’t possible to relate to one of three different variations of the same person who entered the Doctor’s timestream and has ultimately been born “to save the Doctor”. Not in the same way that we could relate to a London shopworker who lived on a council estate.

Most of all I feel for Peter Capaldi. I genuinely fear that the man who is potentially the biggest Doctor Who fan out of all of us now faces the same fate as Sylvester McCoy – series cancellation. It’s time for the showrunners to sit down and start figuring out what they’re going to do, because at this rate, people won’t be returning for series nine.

Why Everyone Should Be Watching My Mad Fat Diary

E4’s My Mad Fat Diary is some very clever television.

From the outside, it looks simply like a comedy series centered around the cringeworthy antics of an overweight teenage girl. Which, to be fair, it is. Oasis-obsessed Rae Earl (Sharon Rooney) spends much of her time attempting to navigate her way through the typical problems that come with being a teenager – boys, popularity, boys, body image, and, erm, boys.

However, what sets it apart from other shows based on the awkwardness of adolescence, like, for example, Skins, is that My Mad Fat Diary is actually mental health education in disguise. This makes it both very smart and very important.

Right from the off, viewers are told that Rae has just spent four months in a psychiatric hospital. It’s unflinching in its portrayal of someone who is by no means recovered from a serious mental health issue, but who is also proof that it’s possible to be both that and the life and soul of a group of ‘normal’ people. So often in popular culture it’s one or the other and MMFD is welcomingly refreshing in its represention of mental illness. It should also be commended for not making Rae a wholly sympathetic character. It would be alarmingly easy to paint her as a victim, but on many occasions she’s really not a very nice person – which continues to remind audiences that she is just another human who’s sometimes rude, stubborn and argues with her mum.

Where it truly shines is in its clashing of Rae’s two lives. For every funny, brightly lit, energetic scene where she’s in a cafe or at a party surrounded by her friends Chloe, Izzy, Archie, Chop and Finn, there’s another one inside the quiet, beige walls of the hospital where she talks in confidence with her therapist Kester (Ian Hart) and shares her secrets, usually in the loos, with the heartbreakingly sweet Tix. It allows the audience to understand how difficult it must be for Rae to juggle these two juxtaposing parts of her life, but never attempts to paint one side as superior. While yes, of course being out with Chloe and Finn et al. is the preferable choice, it constantly reminds you that Rae is still a recovering patient, and sometimes the people she needs to be with most of all are the people, like Kester and Tix, who’ll understand the most.

Sharon Rooney is a revelation. Not only does the native Glaswegian nail her Lincolnshire accent (which can’t be easy), her portrayal of Rae is utterly, utterly compelling. Able to balance perfect comedy timing with the ability to play the unflinching reality of suicidal depression, Rae rises beyond just a struggling teenager and becomes the worthy idol for the 1-in-4 people who suffer with mental illness.

MMFD is painfully honest and seriously funny. Please, watch it because it makes you laugh, watch it because you relate to the characters, watch it because you want to understand…just watch it.

The second series of My Mad Fat Diary is currently airing on Mondays on E4.

12 Women Who Could Play The Twelfth Doctor

Dame Helen Mirren, never one to sit quietly when things peturb her, hit the headlines on Wednesday after announcing that the new Doctor should be “gay, black and female”. With the BBC bigwigs yet to announce who will be taking over from Matt Smith, the gender of the twelfth Doctor is still a highly debatable subject – do they opt for another white man, or do they break fifty years of ‘tradition’ with the first female Time Lord?

Dame Helen Mirren

Now is surely the time for change aboard the TARDIS, so to help out those in charge of making the decision (showrunner Steven Moffat and BBC head honchos Danny Cohen, Ben Stephenson and Brian Minchin), here’s a list, in no particular order, of twelve women who could all play the twelfth incarnation of our favourite Gallifreyan.

1. DAME HELEN MIRREN

Why? Oscar-winner and British icon Helen Mirren has odds of 25/1 in her favour to take over from Smith. The 67-year-old would not only be the first woman, but the oldest actor to take on the part. Her tendency to play the austere characters (see: The Queen) means her Doctor could be Hartnell-stern, making a change from the puppy-like Ten and Eleven. Let’s be honest – it’s not likely to happen. But it would be good, wouldn’t it?

2. RUTH WILSON

Why? 31-year-old Wilson is the two-time Olivier award winner and BAFTA and Golden Globe nominee who rose to prominence thanks to her turn as the psychopathic Alice Morgan in Luther.
Turns as Jane Eyre and Stella in the Donmar Warehouse’s 2009 production of A Streetcar Named Desire mean she’s versatile, plus she has an army of fans on Tumblr all keen for her to nab the role.

Natalie Dormer

3. NATALIE DORMER

Why? Dormer has been cropping up everywhere lately, with roles in Elementary and Game Of Thrones. The Reading-born actress has been steadily making a name for herself since playing Anne Boleyn on The Tudors back in 2007/08, and is currently one of the most in-demand actresses both in the UK and across the pond. She’s also a talented fencer, and a poker fan, so she’s got physical and mental prowess on her side.

4. ZAWE ASHTON

Why? From the minute it was announced Matt Smith was leaving, Ashton (best known as Zod in Fresh Meat) has had her name thrown around. Could she be the first black female Doctor? The 29-year-old has an impressive TV CV, and her talent as a writer and poet means she’d have no problem wrapping her tongue around the techno-babble. Of all of these ladies, she seems the most likely to take the part.

Jessica Brown-Findlay

5. JESSICA BROWN-FINDLAY

Why? The ex-Downton Abbey actress has appeared in everything from Misfits and Black Mirror to the historical miniseries Labyrinth (alongside new ‘Doctor’ John Hurt). At 23, Brown-Findlay is certainly fresh-faced and is another fan favourite thanks to her turn as the sympathetic yet fiesty Lady Sybil.

6. OLIVIA COLMAN

Why? Just about the nation’s favourite actress right now, 39-year-old Colman has the talent to do heart-wrenching drama (Broadchurch, Tyrannosaur) and comedy (Hot Fuzz, Green Wing, Rev) with incredible ease – meaning the role of the conflicted but fun-loving Doctor may not be out of her reach.

Thandie Newton

7. THANDIE NEWTON

Why? Newton is nothing if not passionate – not only is she one of the UK’s most prolific black actresses, but she’s a keen advocate of political change and social equality and isn’t afraid to show it, appearing at 2007’s Live Earth concert and leading this year’s One Billion Rising event. This desire for positive change and acceptance are two key traits of the Doctor; Newton could lend her on and off-screen personas perfectly to the role.

8. JENNIFER SAUNDERS

Jennifer Saunders

Why? The multi-talented Saunders is another British treasure, having helped put female comedy on the map over the course of her career. She’s won three BAFTA awards and would be an excellent choice if the BBC fancy a funny, perhaps punk-esque Doctor with a typically British deadpan attitude.

9. LENORA CRICHLOW

Why? Despite the fact she’s already appeared in Doctor Who, playing Cheen in “Gridlock”, Crichlow is another actress whose name’s been linked to the part of the Time Lord (don’t forget previous companion Freema Agyeman also cropped up in an episode before taking a lead role). 28-year-old Crichlow has also starred in Being Human and Black Mirror, and is a familiar face in the British sci-fi circles.

Oona Chaplin

10. OONA CHAPLIN

Why? The granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin has most recently been playing Talisa Maegyr in Game Of Thrones. Before heading for Westeros, the 27-year-old appeared in three of the BBC’s biggest programmes – Spooks, The Hour and Sherlock. Clearly unafraid of a bit of action and fantasy, Chaplin is the wildcard if you were thinking of placing a bet.

11. LILY LOVELESS

Why? It seems like there’s an inevitability for Skins actors to end up on Doctor Who eventually (Joe Dempsie and Will Merrick have previously appeared), and Loveless could be no exception. The actress and dancer who played lesbian Naomi Campbell has also previously appeared in The Sarah Jane Adventures, linking her to the Whoniverse.

Tilda Swinton

12. TILDA SWINTON

Why? Tilda Swinton has everything – an eclectic CV, a flair for unusual roles, her androgynous style and some really great hair. The 52-year-old could pull off any outfit and still look amazing, and her talent as an actress across all genres would guarantee a Time Lord as changeable as a chameleon.

Despite this list being in no particular order – please BBC? Please?!

Mark Gatiss To Adapt A Ghost Story For Christmas

Sherlock co-creator and writer Mark Gatiss is set to adapt the MR James ghost story The Tractate Middoth for BBC2. It will be accompanied by a documentary (also hosted by Gatiss) on James and his flare for the spooky and the supernatural called Ghost Writer.

The Tractate Middoth revolves around an undisputed will and something creepy hiding in a library – and is the perfect topic for Gatiss whose love of the macabre has previously led him to present the BBC4 documentary series A History of Horror.

Ghost Writer will find Gatiss exploring Eton and Cambridge to try and understand how James developed such a talent for unnatural storytelling.

As well as writing for Sherlock, Gatiss also writes for Doctor Who and is one of the founding members of The League of Gentlemen.

The Tractate Middoth will be on our TV screens this festive season.

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First Teaser For Stephen Merchant’s US Sitcom

Stephen Merchant, the comedian and writer best known for his partnership with Ricky Gervais, has gone all Stateside. Though this time, the Bristol-born funnyman has stepped away from Gervais to pen his first US sitcom based on his critically-acclaimed stand-up tour Hello Ladies.

The eight part series, of the same name, stars Merchant as an awkward thirty-something Brit looking for a relationship in Los Angeles. Of course, he’s quick to discover he might not be the Casanova he thinks he is and, along with his best friend Wade (Nate Torrence) he frequenty makes a right mess of things when it comes to chatting up the ladies.

Hello Ladies is co-written by The Office US scriptwriters Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, and also stars Christine Woods and Kevin Weisman.

Expect plenty more cringe-inducing moments when it airs on HBO in September.

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First Image From BBC4’s Burton and Taylor

The first image from Burton and Taylor (BBC4’s latest drama) has been released, and it already looks a heck of a lot more promising than last year’s Lindsay Lohan-starring biopic,  Liz & Dick.

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Helena Bonham Carter plays screen legend Elizabeth Taylor, opposite Dominic West’s steely Richard Burton.

The TV film tells the story of the couples’ 1983 Broadway turn in Noel Coward’s Private Lives, and the resulting impact it had on their own personal realtionship.

The 90-minute drama is directed by Richard Laxton, and is already being tipped as award-season gold. With a screenplay written by Made In Dagenham‘s William Ivory, it looks set to be a glitzy, emotional rollercoaster.

No air date has been announced as yet.

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Twelfth Doctor To Be Announced Next Month?

Following on from Matt Smith’s decision to leave Doctor Who – the news of which broke at the weekend – a BBC source has revealed to Radio Times that his replacement could be announced as early as next month, before the Christmas special starts filming.

“The search has begun in earnest and is active now,” the source disclosed, who also mentioned that they haven’t ruled out having a first female Doctor. “It would be virtually impossible to keep the identity of the new doctor a secret even if the entire set went into lockdown during filming of the Christmas special,” the source said.

They were also keen to point out that they haven’t ruled out the possibility of having the first female Doctor. The decision will be made by showrunner and head writer Steven Moffat as well as BBC head honchos Danny Cohen, Ben Stephenson and Brian Minchin.

Bookies are already placing odds for possible replacements including Idris Elba, Ben Whishaw, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Rory Kinnear.

Moffat will be continuing to write for the prime-time show for at least another year.

Smith’s decision to leave Doctor Who comes as no real surprise to those keeping up with the 30-year-old’s current work schedule. Most recently he’s been across the pond filming the starring role in Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut, How To Catch A Monster.

The special 50th anniversary episode has already been filmed and will go out later this year.

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Sherlock Series 3 Filming Concludes For The Summer

The first and second episodes of the much-anticipated third series of Sherlock are in the can. To celebrate, co-creator Mark Gatiss tweeted a photo of Benedict Cumberbatch (as the famous detective) silhouetted against the window of their Baker St. flat.

Filming on The Empty Hearse and The Sign of Three has been going on since mid-March. The break allows both Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman (who plays Watson) to go off and work on other projects.

For Freeman, this means heading back to New Zealand to finish shooting pick-ups for the third part of The Hobbit franchise, There and Back Again.

Rumours abound as to when the new series will reach our TV screens, with Gatiss stating that any reports that it’ll be airing as soon as September are false. On the BAFTA red carpet earlier this month, Freeman hinted that we might be seeing fresh episodes at the start of the New Year.

Cumberbatch fans can currently catch the actor unleashing a one man war against Starfleet in Star Trek Into Darkness, which pits his nefarious John Harrison against Chris Pine’s Captain Kirk and co.

New Star Wars TV Series Due In 2014

An animated Star Wars TV show called Rebels will be heading to Disney XD next year, ahead of Episode VII in 2015.

Details about the series are fairly sparse, but movie magazine Empire have been given the following brief summary:

“Star Wars Rebels takes place in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape.”

It will premiere with a one hour episode before getting a regular slot on Disney’s own channel. Simon Kinberg, who has worked on the likes of Sherlock Holmes and X-Men: First Class has been confirmed as an executive producer.

The Star Wars YouTube page has also uploaded a video of Clone Wars animator Dave Filoni discussing the new series, which you can watch below.

No word yet on a confirmed premiere date.

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